Omega boar with softest tips
- Thread starter George78
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I have found minor variability in Omega boars in terms of softness. Sadly, it's not consistent by model. Sometimes you get a little bit lighter-colored, softer hair than others. That said, once broken in, every Omega boar is very soft at the tips. My 49s have been pretty consistent in terms of hair quality. I've had 5 and all have had the softer, whitish hair. I've only had one 48.
I have Omega 10108 and similar to Omega 48, I guess. It is my one and only Omega brush since 2015 and very nice with bowl and painting strokes on my face. It softened quite nice after 5 years. I use it two times in a week without giving a break. Lately, I bought Semogue 610 which is quite soft but not as tall as my Omega (27mm diameter 60mm loft/60mm handle) interms of both handle and loft size (Semogue 22mm diameter 50mm loft/45mm handle). Since I occasionally prefer bowl lather which is like EJ ones, Semogues height is good but not enough to work with freely in a bowl.
I have 48 and 49 and the 48 is the best brush I own, though I only have 9. It took no breaking in at all but I suspect that Omega's do vary somewhat and at that price point you can't really expect anything else. I would replace it with another 48 if and when it dies on me, I think it has only lost one bristle so far so it should last a while yet.
I think they are about the same, except the 48 has more loft. Another good brush in that general size category is the Zenith B03-A26. Very comfy.
IME, it varies more per bristle batch rather than per model. It also depends on how many bristles might be set upside down or how many black and thick ones make their way into the knot. Usually these bristles break in very little if at all. Finally, I would assume that the loftier model, in this case the 48, might feel softer due to less backbone.
I have a 49 which has soft tips, but is WAY too big to face-lather with. The 48 has longer bristles so might even feel softer from the taller loft. Many like to face-lather with these however, but beware, they are huge.
Boar knots once broken in are very soft. If you want them soft before use they can be broken in 3-4 days. I own a couple of Omega boars and they are all very soft, that said my 98 Pro is the softest. But as mentioned previously bristles can differ even on models.
I therefore recommend getting at least 2, especially at the price point. I can highly recommend Omega 11137, 10048/49 and 10098. Out the box the softest boar brush I have sampled is the Omega 11126. The bristles is definitely bleached and very soft, it can do with more backbone IME.
I therefore recommend getting at least 2, especially at the price point. I can highly recommend Omega 11137, 10048/49 and 10098. Out the box the softest boar brush I have sampled is the Omega 11126. The bristles is definitely bleached and very soft, it can do with more backbone IME.
The Omega Pro 48 was my first brush and it is one of my favorites.
I think you would like it!
Nice soft tips and good backbone.
I think you would like it!
Nice soft tips and good backbone.
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
As said above the only difference between a 48 and a 49 is loft. Tips will be the same. There are a few Omega knots with finer bristle, more like Zenith bristle. The Italian Tricolour flag model and the green one sold by Connaught Shaving have finer bristle and therefore softer tips. Both have resin handles, so they cost more. After 20-30 uses (at most) a standard 48 or 49 will soften up and be really sweet.
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That's one of the problems; I've had a few smaller Omega's ( 10065, 10077 and also one banded which i can't remember the number) and all of them had upside down bristles; the bigger issue though was the fact that a lot of the nice split bristles broke about half an inch bellow the tips and i was left with a lot of very prickly hairs (though that was not that big of an issue with the banded one)
I have the Pro 49. I also have the 10066. In addition I have the Connaught Omega with faux jade handle. I think the number is 011842. Of those three, the one with the softest tips is the Connaught 011842 by a significant margin. Keep in mind they are very different brushes. The Pro 49 is a very large brush while the other two are much smaller. If I had to guess, I would bet that the Pro 48 and Pro 49 use the same knot. If someone knows differently, I'm open to being corrected.
I believe the Omegas shave the same bristles, just different lofts. If you want softer tips, try the Zenith B2.
That can be a problem indeed. Perhaps you could cut these bristles with a pair of scissors as low as possible.
I have a very positive experience with Omega brushes. My only pro model is a 10098 and it feels very soft. I find it too big for face lathering though.
Just forget about omega, and buy zenith... you won’t regret it.
